Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate: Annual Report

Lord Goldsmith: The annual report of HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has today been published and laid before Parliament. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Defra: Laboratory Strategy

Lord Bach: I have agreed to the future direction of Defra's laboratory strategy, which aims to deliver a long term sustainable future for Defra's laboratories: the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS).
	Defra's laboratories have an international reputation for excellence. They play an important role for Defra by providing scientific capacity and the evidence base for policy development. Defra will continue to rely on the support they provide, so it is important that the strategy delivers a sustainable future for their work.
	A new group, the Laboratories Strategy Group (LSG) has been formed to develop and oversee the programme of work necessary to take the strategy forward. The LSG is chaired by Lynton Barker (non-executive) and reports to Defra's management board.
	As part of the laboratory strategy, Defra is working with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) on a joint study to consider the future relationship between VLA and the Institute of Animal Health (IAH). Objectives of the study are to achieve financial sustainability, exploit synergies between the two organisations and ensure the continuation of critical research and other scientific services.

Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Alan Johnson) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Today I am launching our consultation on draft regulations that will for the first time outlaw age discrimination in employment and vocational training. The "Coming of Age" consultation will end on 17 October 2005. Subject to Parliamentary approval we intend that the legislation should come into force on 1 October 2006, implementing the final strand of the European Employment Directive (Council Directive 2000/78/EC).
	Age discrimination prevents people of all ages from realising their full potential in the workplace. This in turn prevents employers from getting the best performance out of their business and delivering the best service to their customers. We have consulted over a number of years on our plans for legislation in this area. We have said throughout that tackling age discrimination is good for business, good for individuals and good for society.
	Age discrimination legislation has far-reaching consequences. It touches on every aspect of the employment relationship either directly when there are specific age-based practices, or indirectly when length of service is involved. It ranges over recruitment, promotion, pay, employment conditions, dismissal, retirement, and occupational pensions. We believe that the policies reflected in the draft Employment Equality (Age) Regulations ensure that individuals benefit from important new rights and opportunities, while allowing business to operate productively but fairly.
	In December 2004 we announced how we would be implementing the legislation in relation to retirement ages. For many businesses this will require a considerable adjustment. Those that set their retirement age below the default age of 65 will have to justify it or change it. We announced also that employers would have a new duty to consider requests from employees to continue working longer. We are confident that this will have the same success as the existing right that parents have to request flexible working, and that it will further change the retirement culture in this country.
	Retirement should not come as an unexpected surprise. The new "duty to consider" procedure, therefore, will include new requirements to facilitate planned retirement. Employers will be required to notify employees—at least 6 months in advance and in writing—of the intended date of retirement and that they can ask to work beyond it. This will avoid uncertainty over retirement and ensure that employees can consider their options in advance, allowing them to plan properly for what is a significant change in their lives.
	However, growing numbers of firms are already successfully planning their workforce without fixed retirement ages, and in the longer term the Government's aim is to move to a position where business does not need to rely on a default retirement age. In 2011 we will review whether the justification for having a default age of 65 still stands. As we said when we announced the retirement age decision last year, failing to provide for a default age could have adverse effects on occupational pensions and other benefits, and many businesses need it for workforce planning purposes. We made it clear that: "The review will be firmly grounded in evidence". It will look at, among other things, the evidence on longevity, and employment patterns of older workers. If the evidence shows that we no longer need the default retirement age we will abolish it.
	We will also extend employment rights by removing the current upper age limit for unfair dismissal and redundancy rights. This means that older workers will get the same rights to claim unfair dismissal or to receive a redundancy payment as younger workers. However, retirement will not constitute unfair dismissal if it is after 65 (or a lower retirement age, if justified) and the employer has followed the "duty to consider" procedure. We will also be taking steps to gauge stakeholder opinion on changes to the method of calculation of statutory redundancy payments.
	Many rules in occupational pension schemes are age-based and necessary for their proper operation. The regulations will effectively exempt most age-related rules. Scheme managers will be able to retain age-related rules for which we have not made specific provision, provided they can objectively justify them. The aim is to ensure that age discrimination legislation does not undermine the provision of occupational pensions, or interfere unduly with their normal operation, while at the same time ensuring that unjustified age-related practices do not continue.
	Length of service is often used as a criterion for pay, and for non-pay benefits. This could amount to indirect discrimination if some age groups were more likely to have the necessary length of service than others. Such an approach to pay and other benefits is used widely to motivate staff, reward loyalty, and recognise experience. In those circumstances, therefore, such benefits are likely to be objectively justified. Our aim is, as far as possible, to ensure their continuation, while making plainly unjustified practices open to challenge. The regulations, therefore, provide for exemptions as far as possible—with a specific exemption for length of service requirements of five years or less, and a general provision for longer periods. Length of service requirements that mirror similar requirements in statutory schemes will also be allowed—for example, a contractual redundancy scheme based on length of service but with more generous entitlement than required by law.
	An age-based approach in respect of other employment practices will be lawful only if the employer can satisfy the stiff test of objective justification. Decisions about recruitment, selection and promotion, for example, should normally be based on candidates' skills and abilities, but there might be exceptional circumstances when an employer can justify age requirements. The legislation will allow for this.
	The "Coming of Age" consultation document that accompanies the draft regulations explains what the regulations will cover, why we have taken the approach that we have, and what the legislation will mean in practice. This will help businesses, providers of vocational training, and individuals to prepare for their new responsibilities and rights.
	I have arranged for copies of the consultation paper and other related documents to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Met Office: Performance Targets 2005–06

Lord Drayson: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence (Don Touhig) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Key targets have been set for the chief executive of the Met Office for the financial year 2005–06. The targets are designed to drive change to create an environment for growth, whilst delivering value for money. Further information can be found in the Met Office's annual report and accounts which will be published by September 2005.
	Key Performance Target 1. Return on Capital Employed. To achieve a return on capital employed of at least 3.5 per cent.
	Key Performance Target 2. Forecast Accuracy. To demonstrate an improvement of 1 per cent in the underpinning numerical weather prediction capability. And to achieve minimum levels of accuracy on next-day forecasts for a representative selection of UK cities as follows: maximum temperature (83 per cent), minimum temperature (78 per cent), and precipitation (85.5 per cent).
	Key Performance Target 3. Support to Wider Government Goals. As a basis for delivering future efficiencies, to define in costed output terms the services to be provided to key central government departments; and to agree formal customer/supplier agreements with each such department. In addition, to pilot with MoD a new incentive pricing mechanism which allows the benefits of cost-reductions to be shared between both organisations.
	Key Performance Target 4. Profitability. To achieve a profit contribution of £2.8 million from the Met Office's work for commercial customers.
	Key Performance Target 5. Our people. As a baseline improving the management of people, to establish a benchmark for staff perception of the Met Office leadership, and the level of satisfaction with the implementation of the corporate plan.

National Statistics: Annual Report 2004–05

Lord McKenzie of Luton: My honourable friend the Financial Secretary has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The National Statistics annual report for 2004–05 is being published and laid before the House today. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House. The report can also be obtained free on the National Statistics website.

Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Estate Agency

Lord Rooker: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Shaun Woodward) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	The targets which have been set for 2005–06 are based on the strategic aims and objectives of the agency as set out in Section 4 of its corporate and business plan. The targets are in line with the department's policy of seeking to improve the service provided to the agency's clients in terms of both quality and value for money and I am satisfied that they present a demanding challenge for the agency. A copy of the corporate and business plan will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The targets are as follows.
	Quality
	95 per cent of the service provided by the agency's client support staff to external clients to be regarded as satisfactory, of which 35 per cent of the service to be regarded as either very good or excellent.
	95 per cent of the service provided by the agency's project management staff to external clients to be regarded as satisfactory, of which 35 per cent of the service to be regarded as either very good or excellent.
	95 per cent of the service provided by the agency's trust consultancy support staff to external clients to be regarded as satisfactory, of which 35 per cent of the service to be regarded as either very good or excellent.
	95 per cent of the service provided by the agency's specialist engineering staff to external clients to be regarded as satisfactory, of which 35 per cent of the service to be regarded as either very good or excellent.
	Throughput/Service Delivery
	Complete testing against health service guidance and relevant British and European standards and issue test reports to the authorised person in respect of 98 sterilizers and washer disinfectors by 31 March 2006, based on 98 machines in operation at 1 April 2005 and on a testing resource of four fully qualified decontamination testing staff being available over the target period.
	Issue all medical device/equipment alerts with an "immediate action" level of urgency designation initiated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) within three working days on receipt of final MHRA alert (provided that no further consultation is involved).
	Issue all medical device/equipment alerts with an "action" level of urgency designation initiated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) within five working days on receipt of final MHRA alert (provided that no further consultation is involved).
	Develop and issue for consultation an environmental cleanliness strategy, cleaning specifications and an assessment tool by June 2005 and undertake an independent assessment of environmental cleanliness based on the cleaning specifications by October 2005.
	Financial Management
	Ensure that the agency lives within its running cost allocation for the year.
	Demonstrate that the full costs of the agency are recouped, on a notional basis, through the service level agreement with the department.

Northern Ireland: Life Sentence Review Commissioners and Sentence Review Commissioners Annual Reports

Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Secretary of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Peter Hain) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I have today arranged for the annual reports of the Life Sentence Review Commissioners and the Sentence Review Commissioners to be laid in the House. Copies of the reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland: Annual Report 2004–05

Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Secretary of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Peter Hain) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's annual report for 2004–05 is published today.
	Copies will be available in the Libraries of both Houses.

Student Loans and Maintenance Grants

Lord Adonis: Following the outcome of our financial modelling, I am now able to confirm household income thresholds for the new maintenance grant, which is to be introduced to help low income students enter and continue in higher education from 2006–07. Those students with household income of £17,500 or less will receive the full £2,700 maintenance grant. Students with household income between £17,501 up to £37,425 will receive a partial grant. We therefore anticipate that around 30 per cent of new, full-time students will qualify for the full £2,700 grant, with 50–55 per cent qualifying for a full or partial grant in 2006–07. Furthermore, the element of the new grant which is to be paid in substitution for the maintenance loan has now been set at £1,200.
	I can also confirm that student loan rates in the 2006–07 academic year will be as follows:
	Full year rates
	Students living at home: £3,415
	Students living away from home, in London: £6,170
	Students living away from home, outside London: £4,405
	Final year rates
	Students living at home: £3,085
	Students living away from home, in London: £5,620
	Students living away from home, outside London: £4,080
	This honours the commitment on loan rates made to the House by my right honourable friend, the Member for Norwich South, in his Statement of 8 January 2004.
	These arrangements will be enacted in regulations which are expected to be laid before Parliament in January.

Select Committees: Departmental Evidence and Response Guidance

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today placed in the Libraries of both Houses copies of updated guidance to officials from government departments and agencies on Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees.